spinach

Alternative forms

• spinage (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English spinach, from Anglo-Norman spinache, from Old French espinoche, from Old Occitan espinarc, from Arabic اِسْفَانَاخ‎ (isfānāḵ), from Persian اسپناخ‎ (ispanâx).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /spɪnɪt͡ʃ/, /spɪnɪd͡ʒ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /spɪnɪt͡ʃ/

Noun

spinach (countable and uncountable, plural spinaches)

1. A particular edible plant, Spinacia oleracea, or its leaves.
2. Any of numerous plants, or their leaves, which are used for greens in the same way Spinacia oleraceae is.
   1. Chinese spinach, red spinach (Amaranthus dubius)
   2. Malabar spinach (Basella alba), red vine spinach, creeping spinach, climbing spinach
   3. New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)
   4. water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)
   5. (South Africa) wild spinach, African spinach (various nightshade, legume, and Cucurbitaceae species)
   6. spinach beet, perpetual spinach (Beta vulgaris: chard)
   7. Navajo spinach (Cleome serrulata)
   8. Lincolnshire spinach (Blitum bonus-henricus, syn. Chenopodium bonus-henricus: Good King Henry)
   9. French spinach mountain spinach Atriplex spp.
   10. spinach dock (Rumex acetosa}: common sorrel, garden sorrel)
   11. tree spinach:
       1. Cnidoscolus aconitifolius: chaya
       2. Chenopodium giganteum: magenta spreen, purple goosefoot, giant lambsquarters)

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